


A Lost Battle

by JukeboxxSheepters



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Gen, Ryou and Malik's relationship is just a side part, main focus is on Seto and Yugi dueling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 20:22:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5104517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JukeboxxSheepters/pseuds/JukeboxxSheepters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the middle of the battle between Yugi and Kaiba when the smaller duelist notices something in his rival's eye. He's not fighting is rival at all, is he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lost Battle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EriksChampion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EriksChampion/gifts).



> I have never written Malik before, so I do hope I wrote him okay.

None of this felt right. Not the people screaming his name, his friends cheering him on, nor the look in Mokuba Kaiba's eyes. The thought of backing down was ever present, but what would happen if he did? Would his name be smeared forever as a coward? What about Kaiba? There was no way his rival would be able to accept it, and with that familiar sinister look in his eyes, Yugi knew he had no choice.  
  
He had to duel.  
  
With a shaky hand, Yugi pulled out a new card.  
  
"My draw! I summon Kuriboh in defense mode and lay two cards face down. Your move."  
  
The tri-headed dragon looked down at him like it was preparing for a tasty meal. Their life points were about even, but his rival had a stronger monster on his side. The King of Games glanced down at his face-downs, praying that his trap card would work. If not, Kaiba might get the upper hand, and he was not letting his rival, his friend (though he would argue otherwise), go down that path of destruction again.  
  
"It's my move! Prepare to be defeated, Yugi!"

* * *

  
"Wow, Kaiba does have Yugi in quite the predicament. Do you think he'll be able to win, Malik?"  
  
The white-haired teen turned to his blond companion, a gleam of worry in his brown eyes. Malik's lips were drawn into a frown, eyes narrowing at the television.  
  
"I would expect so. We are talking about the "King of Games", after all," he grumbled, leaning further back into his couch. Ryou sighed, debating if he should try eating more popcorn, but his stomach argued with him, tossing and turning with stress. The thought of eating sickened him.  
So instead, Ryou got up from his position on the floor, leaving his cards spread out, and climbed onto his boyfriend, laying his head on the other's chest. Tan hands quickly tangled into his hair, fingers gently brushing his scalp. It felt nice.  
  
"Sorry, that came out wrong. Didn't mean to sound like such as an asshole."  
  
"S'fine. You are one, anyways."

* * *

  
"When did you add Dragon Capture Jar to your deck?"  
  
"The moment I realized, Kaiba, that this was going to be too dangerous duel! Look at yourself! This isn't you! What about all the progress you made, the progress you and Mokuba have made! I've known you long enough to know that this isn't like you, not anymore!"  
  
His rival was shaking, hands curled into fists. If he squeezed any harder his nails would dig into his palms and cause him to bleed. Yugi could see Mokuba crying in the corner of his eye. This was so, so wrong. It made no sense, why Seto had reverted, why-  
Hang on...what was that?  
  
Yugi looked at Kaiba's eyes, staring. There it was again. A flash of color, far different than his rival's own. The colors switched again and again, as if it couldn't make up its mind. No, as if they were fighting.  
  
He wasn't truly dueling his rival.  
  
"I don't know who you are," he began, voice shaky with anger, "but I will not let you tear my friend's mind apart. You're aren't him, you aren't Seto Kaiba!"

* * *

  
"Not Kaiba?"  
Ryou repeated, eyes wide. Could that be the explanation behind the man's sudden change of behavior? He opened his mouth to speak once more, but a warm hand quickly covered it.  
  
"We should keep listening," his boyfriend replied, "Yugi's onto something."

* * *

  
"Have you finally lost your mind, Yugi," Kaiba questioned, mouth forming into a sadistic grin, "took you long enough. I mean, after dealing with all the bullshit you had to deal with, who wouldn't be?"  
  
Yugi did not respond, instead choosing to glance back at Mokuba once again, wincing at that expression he held. He'd only seen that look once before, and it wasn't one he wanted to see again. It was as if they were back at Death-T, Mokuba running past him (no, past the pharaoh), grabbing his brother's shoulders and screaming, begging him to wake up.  
He couldn't, no, he wouldn't, allow Mokuba to go through that pain again. He needed to believe in the Heart of the Cards, like his grandfather always said.  
  
"I said it's your move."  
  
The arena went dark.


End file.
